About People Power Media

MISSION

[people. power. media] broadcasts efforts and perspectives from marginalized communities where grassroots organizations are working to change public policy. We currently focus on land use issues.

Racial and class inequality in the US is driven by how land is controlled. Grassroots groups struggle to win on critical issues such as affordable housing, segregation, and environmental justice. Through our compelling multimedia journalism, we build broad-based understanding and urgency on land use issues causing a groundswell of people to take action for systemic change.

[people. power. media] is a non-profit organization based in San Francisco, California and is a federally registered 501(c)(3).

VISION

As the gap between the rich and poor grows, people become increasingly segregated into silos of experience. By creating media on complex issues accessible to a broad audience, we can begin to reverse this trend.

People living with privilege will understand issues based on the perspectives of marginalized communities. We will create a broader base of support for policy solutions that result in greater equality for poor, racialized and working class communities.

THE PROBLEM

The income gap between rich and poor is the widest in US history according to a 2013 UC Berkeley study. Control of land, or “land use,” is esoteric, leading to a concentration of wealth through private development that’s destroying real opportunities for advancement by poor and racialized communities. This has given rise to popular resistance movements such as Occupy Wall Street, the foreclosure crisis, and the Black Lives Matter uprising in Ferguson, Missouri.

Mainstream reporters rarely break from the corporate narrative. Grassroots organizations struggle to reach beyond their existing networks and have few resources to combat the PR of moneyed corporations.

Our proven ability to communicate complex land use issues disrupts corporate messaging and emboldens people towards acting for real solutions for racial and economic justice.

OUR CONTENT

We prioritize policy efforts by poor and immigrant communities. With our beat reporting approach, grassroots organizations can rely on [people. power. media]’s incisive reports to break at just the right time. By regularly consulting with community leaders, we bring attention to their priority issues through professional journalism featuring voices from the frontlines of struggles to benefit poor and immigrant communities. Read about how our reporting, analysis and solutions journalism are positively impacting communities.

Do you have an issue you want to let us know about? Want to add us to your media outreach list? Are you a journalist interested in pitching a story or freelancing for us?

CO-FOUNDERS

Dyan Ruiz (Co-founder, Reporter).Dyan has reported for US independent media, Canadian mainstream and ethnic media, and the the largest daily newspaper in the Philippines. She co-founded San Francisco-based nonprofit People Power Media in 2012 to report on community efforts to impact public policy. Dyan has a Masters degree in Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto. Dyan has also worked as a Legislative Aide in San Francisco City Hall and as the Communications Director for a successful candidate campaign for the SF Board of Supervisors.

Joseph Smooke (Co-founder, Videographer, Photographer). Joseph has international experience as a photojournalist and videographer, editor of a community newspaper in San Francisco and as a Program and Executive Director for the non-profit organization Bernal Heights Neighborhood Center (BHNC). Joseph is based out San Francisco, CA and has worked in nonprofits in the city and Bay Area since 1993. Joseph has been a Legislative Aide to two of the members of San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors and is a professional member of the National Press Photographers Association (NPPA).